UK Plant Care Guides

Olives (Olea Europaea) make a perfect feature plant for your garden, patio, or to flank a doorway. The twisted trunk is framed by a head of narrow oval leaves, grey-green in colour with a silvery underside. Clusters of fragrant creamy-white flowers develop in spring. Olives are best placed in full sun or partial shade position. Although nearly hardy in the British climate it is advised that when temperatures drop below - 5 the crown is protected using a breathable fleece and bubble insulation is placed around the pot or base of the trunk. Although olives are very tolerant of drought conditions regular watering throughout the year is advised. Avoid allowing the soil to dry out completely between watering. Olives are slow-growing, requiring little maintenance. Branches can be tamed into a neat shape by pruning back during late spring or early summer.

Camellia Japonica 'Birchfield Yellow' is a compact evergreen shrub with glossy dark green leaves. In late winter the plant boasts an abundance of semi-double rose flowers adding colour and interest to any outdoor space.

Choisya Ternata is commonly known as Mexican orange blossom. This evergreen shrub offers aromatic leaves with small clusters of fragrant white flowers.

Fatsia Japonica is a evergreen shrub with glossy, deep green palmate leaves giving a tropical feel. The plant produces white, ivy-like flowers in autumn and may produce blue-black berries in winter.